Day: March 13, 2018

It’s no secret by now the AD Heather Lyke and Pitt have secured the services of Folger Consulting to help in the search for a new basketball coach to replace the fired Kevin Stallings. From today’s Post-Gazette:

Pitt has turned to consultant Eddie Fogler to assist it in its search for a men’s basketball coach, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

Fogler was a Division I head coach for 15 seasons, leading programs at South Carolina (1993-2001), Vanderbilt (1989-93) and Wichita State (1986-89). He was named coach of the year in 1993 by the Associated Press and the National Association of Basketball coaches after leading Vanderbilt to a 28-6 record and an SEC regular season championship.

In 2006, he founded Fogler Consulting to help universities with searches. On its website, Fogler Consulting boasts to have “successfully placed dozens of college coaches across the nation at all levels of Division I basketball.”

I get periodic phone calls from a friend who is much more intimately knowledgeable about Pitt sports than I am and who is a wealth of information when it comes to the inner workings of the athletic department and issues that surround the athletic programs… and no, he doesn’t work for Pitt.

But this guy hasn’t been wrong once when he’s told me details of something that has happened or if something is about to happen within Pitt athletics whether is has been made public or not. His ear is to the ground in many different places and I trust his information.

Which brings us to what is so interesting about the hiring of Folger Consulting – in that while it was done with an eye toward who will be a good, or even the best, head basketball coach for Pitt , more importantly it is being done for strict vetting purposes to ensure that any prospective head coach doesn’t have any skeletons, large or small, in his closet who will turn the door knob and step out to throw egg on Pitt’s face.

Apparently a large part of the Folger’s work is in extensive background reserach which go much more in-depth than the normal vetting process a university will usually do for new hires. It is reported that Folger has contacts in various law enforcement agencies which can provide him background information not readily accessible to others and not found in regular background checks.

And we know how sensitive the University of Pittsburgh is with these issues as a normal course of athletic department business anyway. Hell, three of our most successful modern-day football head coaches were fired while clouds of suspicion regarding inappropriate behaviors or off-field issues swirled around their heads. This consulting hire makes perfect sense in light of that and how we know Pitt ‘s reputation is first and foremost the driving force in the university’s decision-making.

This isn’t really breaking news on any scale really and it makes sense. But it does magnify just what Pitt is contemplating about a new coaching hire- as opposed to what Pitt’s Basketball fans may be thinking – when it comes to candidates to replace Stallings. While fans are looking strictly at any prospective head coaches’ actual on-court coaching and recruiting abilities the university is drastically expanding their search criteria to encompass the whole 360° of the candidate’s life and past actions both on and off the field.

With the hire of Folger it appears that Pitt’s look at possible future coaches surpasses the coaches’ profession characteristics and is being viewed through a high-powered microscope. That is not a bad thing to do. Of course, it may winnow down prospective candidates and may even exclude some coaches who otherwise would be good for the basketball program as far as playing the game goes.

Here is a piece by our long time reader Ike on the Defensive Line going into Spring Practices.

First off, who will not be back this year? Well going all the way back to PITT’s spring roster at this time last year there are a few names you probably have forgotten about it were expected to contribute.

1) Kam Carter… no, not him, you most likely remember him.
2) Allen Edwards… ditto for Edwards, he didn’t play up to expectations.
3) Rori Balir….. maybe you forgot about this guy who let the team down.
4) Devon Edwards…. yes, he was listed at DL last spring.
5) Kaezon Pugh…. 4* recuit – this is too bad..
6) Jeremiah Taleni.. last but not least. Taleni did help PITT go 5-7 last year by not playing for us.

I’d say those guys disappointed us last season. Nothing much to miss but their smiling faces and their love for PITT. Good luck young men.

Who’s in the middle of the DL for 2018?

1) 3* Shane Roy is back and I do expect to him help out a whole lot.
2) 3* Mike Herndon.. who know where he lines up but he did play some last year on the DL but could also be moved back to the OL.
3) 4* Amir Watts….. did not RS his first year. It’s time for him to start really contributing.
4) 2* Rashad Weaver… This young man looked good and lined up all over the front line.(Weaver started at DE last year but Ike wants him inside so that’s where he’ll be listed)
5) 3* Rashad Wheeler.. Played more as the season went on and as the defense played better.
6) 3* Keyshon Camp… Need him to step up after getting his feet wet last year.
7) 3* Jaylen Twyman.. The expectations are high with Twyman.